Process of treating hydrocarbon oils



23, 1.938. H. E. DRENNAN, 2,127,953

- PROCESS OF TREATING HYDROCARBON OILS Filed July 25, 1936 INVENTOR.

HARRY E. DRENNAN ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. '23, 1938 I i UNITED- srA'i'Es PATENT- orrics v raocsss or I 2 Delaware Whittenburg, Ten, assignm- Company, a corporation Application July :5. 1m, smnmfaacu 4 Claims. (01. 196-52) This invention relates to the art of treating hydrocarbo'ns for the purpose of producing there-' .i'rom an improved type of motor fuel. In its more specific aspects, the present inventionre- I lates to the treatment of hydrocarbons of the gasoline type to convert the same into gasoline like products having high anti-knock qualities.

maintained in a highly heated-or superheated 7 form, into contact with caliche which is maintained by the heat of the vapors or otherwise at a temperature above the normal vapor temperature at the existing pressure otthe hydrocarbons under treatment. Q

The following descrlption,"which is a preferred type of operation, is offered merely for purpose of disclosing the different stages to include the various temperatures and conditions which exist and is not to be considered as limitations thereto, as the method is capable of many variations which are included within the general scope of the invention. 7

Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically one-type of apparatus for effecting the present invention.

The hydrocarbon oil to be treated is introduced through pipe ill by means of a pump I i and forced into a heating coil l2 contained in the furnace II which may be heated by any suitable means. In coil l2 the oil is vaporized and heated to any desirable temperature, and the heated vapors pass from coil i2 to a continuation thereof 82A wherein the vaporized oil is superheated and from whence it passes through the pipe It into a catalytic' treatment tower iii in which there is contained a body of caliche, designated by the reference numeral it. The vapors entering the tower it pass through the body it of caliche which is maintained by the heat oi the vapors,'or

by any other suitable means, at a desired temperature. The treated vapors leave the tower it near the bottom thereof and flow through a pipe ll controlled by valve 3!, into a fractionating tower it where the product is cut to the desired end point,-whether it be'gasoline or tractor fuel,

clay containing tower 22 through conduit It and pass through a condenser 25 and then flow through conduit 26 to a tank 21 from which they are withdrawn through pipe 18, controlled by valve 29, to storage.

It the product being charged to the vaporizing coil i2 is in the boiling range desired, fractionating tower l8 may be by-passed and the vapors passed directly from the catalyst tower II to the clay tower 22 at the desired temperature. Wherein it is desired to by-pass the vapors around the fractionating tower it, the valve 30 in the line 32 is opened, and valve SI of line I! and valve 33 of line 2i is closed.

Condensates accumulating in the towers I! and 22 may be. withdrawn from the bottoms'thereoi through the pipes 34 and 35 respectively, which are controlled by the .valves 36 and 31.

The invention contemplates fractionating or refractionation of the hydrocarbon oils treated by the process when required. Example is given below to'clarify the process but is not to be interpreted as limitations to the invention.

Example-Cracked gasoline was vaporized and the vapors heated to 700 F. and passed through a tower containing calcium carbonate in the form of caliche screened to pass a mesh and retained on a 30 mesh screen. The tower was maintained at about 700 F. and a pressure of approximately 15 to 20 pounds per square inch. The rate of passing the gasoline vapors through the caliche Gravity. A. P. I Initial boiling point N 'i. E. L; to 70 Octane No.. cc. per gallon Percent reduction T. E. L. (tetraethyl lead) In practicing this invention the temperature may range from 500 to 1,500 F. and the pressure may vary from atmospheric to 5,000 pounds. But when treating lighter hydrocarbons, such as butane and methane, in accordance with this invention the pressure may vary from atmospheric any other manner and from any source, may be treated by the method herein described.

I claim: v

1. The method of increasing the anti-knock qualities of hydrocarbons boiling within the gasoline range which comprises passing said hydrocarbons while in the vapor phase and at a temperature within the range 500 to 1,500 E, over 20 a body of caliche of the limestone type at a flow rate suificient that only a minimum of cracking occurs.

2. The method of increasing the anti-knock qualities of hydrocarbon motor fuels boiling with- 25 in the gasoline range which comprises passing said hydrocarbons while in the vapor phase and at a temperature within the range of 500 to 1,200 E. in contact witha body of caliche of the limestone type at a flow rate so regulated that the boiling range of the treated product is not materially altered.

3. The method of improving the quality -of hydrocarbon motor fuels boiling within the gasoline range which comprises contacting said hydrocarbons in the vapor phase at a temperature within the range 500 to 1,200 F. with a body of caliche of the limestone type at a flow rate so regulated that only'a minimum of cracking occurs thereby producing a motor fuel of improved quality.

4. The method of increasing the quality of motor fuels boiling within the gasoline range which comprises vaporizing said fuels, heating the vapors to a temperature within the range 500 to 1,200 F., contacting the vapors while at said tem-. perature with a body of caliche of the limestone type at a How rate sufficient that the boiling range of the product is not materially difierent from that of the charge.

' HARRY'E. BRENNAN. 

